All Vietnam Navy veterans deserve Agent Orange benefits

Imagine a scenario where veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars begin developing certain cancers far more often than nonveterans. There would likely be a public outcry to aid them, and rightfully so.

A photo of a Vietnam Navy ship in action off the coast of Vietnam. The photo was take by the late Dale Davenport, a public affairs officer during the war and former Patriot-News editorial page editor.

Now imagine that the U.S. government agrees to help the ill veterans, but then reverses its policy several years later to help only certain branches of the military.

This scenario is essentially what happened to U.S. Vietnam Navy veterans.

In 1991, Congress passed the Agent Orange Act to give extra medical help and disability payments to Vietnam veterans who developed certain medical conditions. By then, there was a large body of evidence showing that Vietnam veterans were developing cancers and other diseases at a higher rate than others of their generation. While it is difficult to prove a 100 percent connection, it was clear something in Vietnam played a role, and many experts believe it was probably Agent Orange.

But in 2002, the Bush administration reversed the policy for Navy veterans. Veterans Affairs began to make a distinction between Brown Water veterans, whose ships sailed on inland waterways, and Blue Water veterans, who were aboard ships that mainly stayed on coastal areas. Brown Water veterans qualified for Agent Orange-related benefits; Blue Water veterans suddenly did not.

It appeared to be a move to save money. It’s shameful given how much money our government spends that this is the area it targeted for cost cutting.

Medical studies have shown Navy veterans are contracting some cancers in greater numbers than veterans of other military branches. An Australian government study figured out why by showing that the distillation system used on Vietnam-era ships might have exacerbated Agent Orange’s effects, having fumes travel throughout the air and water on the ships.

The Board of Veterans Appeals also has ruled several times that places such as Da Nang Harbor, a key port that many ships sailed into, is an inland waterway. Sailors who stopped there should be given the same benefits as other veterans on land. Yet the VA continues to deny many benefits claims of sailors who were in Da Nang.

President Barack Obama can easily have his administration reverse this injustice.

There also have been countless bills introduced during the last decade known as the Agent Orange Equity Acts to rectify this. The latest such bill had true bipartisan support and was introduced in September. Yet there it sits.

In an election year, surely this is an issue that Republicans and Democrats would want credit for solving. Pa. Senator Bob Casey supports the bill. Senator Pat Toomey did not respond by deadline about his stance.

Suggestions that giving these veterans back their benefits would “break the bank” are overblown. According to MilitaryUSA.com, there are under 250,000 Vietnam Navy veterans. Even that figure is likely high as some Navy veterans already qualify and others have sadly died.

America sent these men into harm’s way in Vietnam. Evidence points heavily toward Blue Water sailors having been impacted by Agent Orange at least as much as other military branches.

President Obama and Congress should give these veterans the respect, care and financial help they deserve.